Louisville, Kentucky (June 16, 1999)-The 27th PCA
General Assembly this morning received two personal resolutions
from commissioners, and refused to receive another. In all three
cases, what normally is a perfunctory matter-to receive such resolutions-turned
into controversy.

Leading off those presenting resolutions this morning
was the Rev. Mr. Jeff Black, pastor of White Oak Presbyterian
Church, Fremont, N. C., and a member of the Mission to North America
(MNA) Committee of Commissioners. His concern revolves around
the published report that a woman spoke at the MNA church planting
conference in California in February. The resolution says that
"this female speaker purportedly engaged in exhortation to
the church planters and in application of Scripture"; and
that "this report, if true, would violate the clear instructions
given to the MNA Committee by the 1997 General Assembly."
That Assembly stated, with regard to MNA, that "Seminars
led by women on biblical and theological exposition will have
women as the intended audience. The Scriptures and the subordinate
standards are clear that only men are to be appointed as elders.
. . . The GA recognizes that the ministry of women within the
church, including MNA, must be exercised within the bounds of
Scripture, including I Timothy 2:11-12." After objection
was raised, the Moderator put the question of receiving the resolution
to a vote. By an overwhelming margin, the Assembly received it.
At first referred to Bills & Overtures Committee, the resolution
was finally sent to the MNA Committee of Commissioners for consideration.

Next up was Mr. Hugh Belcher, a ruling elder from
Dickenson First Presbyterian Church, Haysi, Va. who brought a
resolution regarding a report on the internet that the Covenant
College choir sang in a Roman Catholic mass. After he presented
the resolution, several commissioners wanted to know in what forum
this report came, and if he had brought the matter to the attention
of Covenant College before presenting it on the floor. Concern
was voiced by some that not first going to Covenant College personnel
was a violation of Matthew 18 regarding church discipline. The
Rev. Mr. David Coffin countered that contention, by saying that
Mr. Belcher had not done anything amiss by having a concern for
the public reputation of the denomination and its college. The
court declined to receive the resolution, 316-488.

The third resolution was offered by the Rev. Mr.
Bob Hornick, Stated Clerk of Gulf Coast Presbytery. His resolution
has to do with amending the Rules for Assembly Operations regarding
the Committee on Review of Presbytery Records. On a divided vote,
the Assembly received his resolution.

Covenant College Officials Present Report

Louisville, Kentucky (June 16, 1999)-Covenant College
Board Chairman Joel Belz was obviously delighted to have the opportunity
to bring the affairs of the college before the church. Mr. Belz,
Editor of World magazine, urged the commissioners to use
their time and energy to focus on whether the administration of
Covenant College is taking seriously its commitment to provide
a Christ-centered education. "Hold our feet to the fire,"
he declared. However, he exhorted them to "do a complete
job of your investigation." He stated that each commissioner
had taken a vow to uphold the Shorter Catechism, including the
directions regarding the Ninth Commandment about upholding the
good name of one's neighbor. The investigative journalist exclaimed
that "there's nothing that spoils a good story like good
research." He asked the commissioners to "understand
things in context." The 1200 to 1500 people associated with
the college are "an energetic bunch," which "do
things spontaneously sometimes, and have to be held to account."

President Frank Brock talked about the high quality
of the faculty. He also addressed the allegation raised earlier
that the college choir sang in a Roman Catholic mass. He explained
that some Covenant College students come from former Communist
countries-many of them non-Christians, who subsequently become
interested in spiritual things after receiving instruction from
Covenant professors. A Roman Catholic lady in Slovakia who is
appreciative of the work of the college, requested that the choir
perform two concerts in order to acquaint more people with Covenant
College. The concerts were held in a Catholic Church (which functions
as a concert hall in many communities). Dr. Brock believes this
woman to be a genuine Christian. The lady indicated that if
the choir performed at the mass held earlier that evening in the
same building, more people would be likely to come afterwards.
The desired result was that of more people becoming interested
in Covenant College, where they could be exposed to the gospel
through its teaching. According to Dr. Brock, Professor John
Hamm, who accompanied the choir to Eastern Europe, thought that
the choir singing in the mass would be fine.

Assembly Votes to Explore Joint Meetings

with other Reformed Denominations

Louisville, Kentucky (June 16,
1999)-The 27th PCA General Assembly this morning voted to approve
an overture from Philadelphia Presbytery, which asks for a study
as to how the highest judicatories of several Reformed denominations
could meet together in a national synod. The recommendation was
approved after commissioners debated whether or not it was wise
to explore such joint meetings if there was not a serious intention
of actually becoming one with those other bodies.

The overture had been referred to two committees-Interchurch
Relations Committee (IRC) and the Administrative Committee (AC).
Both IRC and AC Permanent Committees had recommended approval
of the proposal, as had the IRC Committee of Commissioners. Disagreeing
with the proposal was the AC Committee of Commissioners. Its
Chairman, Sam Duncan, the Moderator of the 1997 General Assembly,
presented his committee's rationale.

Arguing for the overture was another former Assembly
Moderator, Dr. Will Barker of Philadelphia Presbytery. Also speaking
in favor was the Rev. Mr. Tom Vanden Heuvel, formerly a minister
in the Christian Reformed Church, and Editor of the Outlook.
It was in that conservative magazine in which the original proposal
by Dr. Robert Godfrey regarding the joint meetings appeared.

Assembly Vindicates MNA Committee

Louisville, Kentucky (June 16, 1999)-The 27th General
Assembly vindicated its Mission to North America (MNA) staff with
regard to allegations that it had violated the instructions of
the 1997 Assembly. At the heart of the dispute was a woman speaking
at a church planters conference in California in February of this
year, whose two addresses allegedly contained exhortation to the
men and application of Scripture.

The Rev. Mr. Roland Barnes, who serves on the MNA
Permanent Committee, offered a substitute motion to the recommendation
from the MNA Committee of Commissioners. The substitute would
have stated that the staff did violate the instructions of the
Assembly. However, by a substantial margin, the court decreed
that the activity did not violate the directives, and also voted
that "the MNA staff be considered vindicated from any bad
reports." The Assembly also instructed the MNA Permanent
Committee to "study the issue of women speaking and teaching
in public, and present clear guidelines to the 28th GA of their
application of 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and other scripture when selecting
women for such ministry."

In other action, the Assembly approved all requested
boundary changes for several presbyteries. But approval of two
of those proposals did not come automatically: the transfer of
I-35 corridor counties in Oklahoma from Mid-America to North Texas
Presbytery, and the extension of North Texas' boundaries to include
much of west Texas. Minority reports on both of them sparked
considerable debate on the floor.

With regard to Mid-America, the MNA Committee of
Commissioners wanted the four remaining churches to "work
with MNA over the next year to determine which presbytery they
may wish to join." The Assembly, however, agreed with the
ruling of the Moderator, that that terminology was out of order
in that in essence it was advising the Presbytery with regard
to dissolution, and the Constitution does not allow the Assembly
to dissolve a presbytery without its consent.

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